Podcast Summary: The Ops Experts Club Podcast

Episode 89: Bridging the Gap: Sales and Marketing Integration
Date: November 13, 2025
Hosts: The Collab Team – Aaron, Terryn, Savannah
Guest Referenced: Rachel Stivers (Platform Consulting Agency)

Overview

This episode dives into the practicalities and importance of integrating sales and marketing through strategic annual planning, emphasizing actionable "SAM plans" (Sales and Marketing Plans). Drawing from their operational experience with high-performing entrepreneurs, the hosts discuss bridging the notorious gap between sales and marketing teams, leveraging combined metrics, planning, and accountability.

Key Points & Discussion Breakdown

1. Making Annual Goals Actionable – The SAM Plan

• Timeframe: [00:44] – [02:14]
• Annual planning is only as good as its execution; SAM Plans turn vision into numbers and action.
• Rachel Stivers' approach merges marketing creativity with accounting precision.
• “How do you monetize those annual goals? You have goals, but how are you going to execute? … Her SAM plan, Sales and Marketing plan, is the way to do it.” – C, [00:44]

2. The Rachel Stivers Approach

• Background and Philosophy:
  • Rachel combines a background in accounting with proven marketing expertise.
  • She’s supported big names and blends metric-driven rigor with creative marketing.
  • “The thing I love about Rachel is she’s done marketing for some really big names … but also has a mind that’s not just… all like flash and smoke and mirrors … [Her] SAM plan for me is the beauty of marrying her marketing mind with her accounting mind.” – C, [02:14]

3. Planning, Accountability, and Metrics

• Tangible Tools, Not Just Concepts:

  • Rachel's tool is lauded for being “stupid, simple but profound” ([04:26])—easy to use yet highly impactful.
  • The plan requires you to list all offerings, identify key sources of leads (affiliates, ads, email, events), and set specific goals.
  • “The thing I love about the tool is from a very accounting-based place. What was our budget to actuals? … If we didn’t make our goal, that rolls forward. If we want to hit our annual goal, it doesn’t just become something … we missed. That needs to change.” – C, [04:26]

• Eliminating Silo Mentality:

  • The plan intentionally puts sales and marketing on the same page, forcing collaboration and mutual ownership of outcomes.
  • “She talks about the beauty of … sales and marketing have to play nice together because they both decide what the goals are. … There becomes that mutual trust.” – C, [05:54]

4. Solving the Blame Game

• Timeframe: [06:33] – [09:43]
• The SAM plan acts as the “general contractor” ensuring all teams are aligned, and holding each accountable against shared metrics.
• No more “marketing got the wrong leads” or “sales couldn’t close”; miss the goal, adjust together.
• “If there’s two teams that can easily deflect responsibility onto each other for not hitting what they’re doing, it’s sales and marketing.” – B, [06:33]
• “The sales and marketing plan really is that GC, that general contractor that’s bringing the whole thing together … we’re not going to spend time pointing fingers at each other.” – C, [07:18]

5. Types of Revenue: Day-to-Day vs. Events

• Timeframe: [09:43] – [12:51]
• Segments revenue into ongoing “day-to-day” (lead magnets, product upsells) versus “event-specific” (webinars, launches, conferences).
• Planners must review both their “steady” streams and event-driven spikes to map out targets.
• “First thing you want to do … determine your SAM plan, is really look at your marketing calendar.” – B, [09:43]

6. Adapting to Reality: Leveraging Data

• Use historic data where available; start with conservative goals if not.
• “If we are in Q1, Q2 down by this percentage, how are we going to bring that back up? … If quarter one goals don’t make it, it should be changing the directive for quarter two.” – C, [10:44]
• Avoid “wild ass guesses”—establish baselines, then stretch.
• “Let’s make sure we call it a stretch goal … don’t set your people up to fail.” – C, [13:43]

7. Incentives, Morale, and Sustainable Growth

• Achievable goals foster team morale.
• “Your people will be much happier if they can hit an attainable goal or even get close … than just be way off of a … wild ass goal.” – B, [15:37]
• “If one of the building blocks doesn’t perform, it’s going to put other weight on the rest of the building blocks.” – C, [15:55]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rachel’s Methodology:
  “She was an accountant by trade and moved into marketing. … Marrying her marketing mind with her accounting mind, because it takes it and makes all of your metrics very trackable.” – C, [02:14]

• On Inter-Team Dynamics:
  “Sales can’t be like, well, they’re bringing me the wrong leads. And marketing can be like, these guys can’t close for crap.” – C, [05:54]

• On Realism in Goal Setting:
  “Visionaries are so classic with, ‘This is my best idea ever! … But do you? Nobody knows until we try it.’” – C, [13:43]

• A Fun Metaphor:
  “The sales and marketing plan really is that general contractor … bringing the whole thing together … it’s like an orchestra. We’re all playing to the same tune in different ways, but … trying to create a masterpiece.” – C, [09:34]

• On Company Morale:
  “Your people will be much happier if they can hit an attainable goal or even get close … than just be way off of a goal that was a wag.” – B, [15:37]

Practical Takeaways

• Have a SAM Plan: Get everyone in sales and marketing to jointly set targets, review actuals, and adapt quarterly.
• Use Data, Not Wishful Thinking: Rely on historic performance, or use conservative estimates initially.
• Segment Revenue Streams: Know your sales sources—split between day-to-day and event-driven, with clear plans for each.
• Iterate and Adjust: If a goal is missed, roll it forward and adjust next steps proactively—don’t wait until year-end shocks.

Key Segment Timestamps

• [00:44] — Introducing the topic of making annual plans actionable, the SAM plan
• [02:14] — Rachel Stivers’ unique marketing-accounting fusion
• [04:26] — Structure of Rachel’s SAM tool; focus on metrics and accountability
• [06:33] — Why sales and marketing must co-own outcomes, not blame
• [09:43] — Day-to-day vs. event-specific revenue; importance of calendar planning
• [12:51] — Leveraging historical data vs. setting conservative goals
• [15:37] — Impact of goal-setting on team morale and long-term targets

For More Information:
The Collab Team recommends connecting with Rachel Stivers of Platform Consulting Agency (PCA) to get sample SAM plan models or consult directly, especially if you want to take your operations to the next level.

Closing Note: The hosts encourage listeners to move from big, visionary annual plans to detailed, actionable monthly and quarterly sales/marketing syncs. With tools like Rachel’s SAM plan, teams can turn forecasts into forecasted (and delivered) results—building not just revenue, but trust and collaboration.